September: Shane & Shane

        

 For what would you face a fire?

 

 

Love. Politics. Truth. Belief. Ideas.

 

    Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah answered this question with their lives. Under the cruel, oppressive governing of King Nebuchadnezzar these men were forced to worship gold. However, they would not bow. The punishment for their rebellion was a furnace. It was for their faith that they chose the fire. Music played and they stood--unwavering. They were led to the furnace and there they were left to burn. Was this necessary? Would God not understand if they bowed their heads, but not their hearts? These Jewish men had already suffered greatly. They had even taken different names because their king ordained it. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had already given so much--why would God demand their lives?

    ¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king,“Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question. ¹⁷ If the God we serve exists,^[f] then He can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He can rescue us from the power of you, the king. ¹⁸ But even if He does not rescue us,^[g] we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.” Daniel 3:16-18

 

     Let us burn. That is essentially the reply of these common men. Without God, let us burn. Where these men insane? If they burn their witness dies with them. No one is going to believe in a God whose followers die in vain. Why would they martyr themselves so quickly? Because they knew that through the fire they would be refined and they were willing to pay any price for that. Most of all they trusted God. They knew His promises to be true. They knew that the furnace was not their death--but rather living for lies was death. To bow to falsehood was death. They knew God is able even if He chooses not to act on it. They trusted. They trusted. They trusted. And so when they entered the furnace--4 men stood in the flames, though only 3 entered.

     So what does any of this have to do with music? Everything. September will focus on Shane & Shane. I matched my favorite Bible event with one of my favorite duos. Other than having the ability to make me cry with a solitary note--these two are solid. I have come to believe their harmonies are borrowed from the heavens. Above all, I respect the creativity and authenticity of their lyrics, arrangements, and musicianship. The first song I encountered from Shane & Shane was "Burn Us Up". It was that easy, one song. It gave me every reason to come back and listen. This song tells the story I have mentioned above. My, does it tell the story.

 "Though tonight I'm crying out
Let this cup pass from me now
You're still all that I need
You're enough for me
You're enough for me."

"Though You Slay Me",

Shane & Shane